An electromagnetic contactor that carries out switching of a current path is such that a movable contact is driven by an exciting coil and movable plunger of an electromagnet unit. That is, when the exciting coil is in a non-excited state, the movable plunger is urged by a return spring, and the movable contact is in a released condition wherein it is distanced from a pair of fixed contacts disposed maintaining a predetermined interval. From the released condition, the movable plunger can be moved against the return spring by exciting the exciting coil, and the movable contact takes on an engaged condition wherein it contacts with the pair of fixed contacts (for example, refer to PLT 1).